Railroad-spike protector.



v w. L. GREGORY.

RAILROAD SPIKE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUH E 24, 1910.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

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FEIERS cc!- WASHINGTON n c WADE L. GREGORY, OF CROSS HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 24, 1911.

Application filed June 24, 1910. Serial No. 568,695.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'ADE L. GREGORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cross Hill, in the county of Laurens and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Spike Protectors, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My present invention relates to a novel and simple device to prevent the upper portions of the shanks of railway spikes from wearing through and the heads from com-' ing off, due to the vibrations of the rail with which they contact, my object being to provide a device which will protect a spike and prolong the life thereof to a material extent.

WVith this in mind, my invention resides .in the devices shown in the accompanying drawing, and all such changes and modifications thereof which fall within the terms of the appended claims.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a view illustrating the practical application of the pre ferred form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of this form of my invention. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section there through. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form, and, Fig. 5 is an elevation of the modified form.

Referring to the form of my invention shown in figs. 1 to 3, I provide a device which comprises a body 10 in the form of a sleeve, rectangular in cross-section, and the bore of which is of a size to fit upon the shank a of a track spike. One end of the body 10 is adapted to abut against the head I) of the spike, and this end is provided with integral outstanding lips 11,, one extending from each of the four sides of the body, these lips being connected by webs, as shown, to strengthen the same. The opposite end of the body 10 has a V-shaped cut-out portion 12 extending into each side thereof, the edges being tapered from the inside, as shown, so that this end of the body may be readily driven into the tie. Thus with the body 10 upon the spike shank, the former will be driven into the tie as the latter is driven home, and one of its lips 11 will be between the base of the rail and the spike head 6 as shown in Fig. 1. I/Vhen one of the lips is worn oil, the spike may be removed and the body 10 of the protector removed and again placed upon the spike in a changed position so as to bring another lip 11 below the spike head, and so 011 until all the lips have been worn off.

The form of my invention shown in Figs. l and 5 contemplates but a single protecting lip, and comprises a flat body piece 13 having an angular extension 14., at one end, forming the spike head protector, and provided with an angular and sharper opposite extremity 15 to be engaged in the rail in such manner that the extension .l-l will be between the spike head and the rail base. In using this form of my invention, a hole must be bored down into the tie a distance equal to the length of the body piece 13, which is then placed in said hole with its extremity 15 innermost. The spike is then driven into the tie through the hole and forces the extremity 15 to embed itself in the tie. as shown in Fig. 4.

The fact that my protector, the construction of which requires only a fraction of the metal contained in a spike, enables the spikes provided with the same to materially outlast those spikes not so provided, is not only an advantage with respect to a reduction in the cost of upkeep of the track fifstenings, but is an advantage in preventing spreading of the rails.

I claim:

1. The combination with a rail and its tie, of a spike for securing the rail to the tie, and at protecting device for the spike, said device comprising a body portion seating in the tie, and a lip on the upper end of said body portion, said lip fitting over the base flange of the rail between the same and the spike head.

9. The combination with a rail and its tie, of a spike for securing the rail to the tie, and a protecting device for the spike, said device comprising a body portion seating in the tie, and a plurality of lips on the upper end of said body portion, one of said lips fitting over the base flange of the rail between the same and the spike head, and the device being adjustable to place any one of the lips in the aforesaid position.

3. The combination with a rail and its tie, of a spike for securing the 'ail to the tie,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature and a protecting device for the spike, said 111 presence oftwo wltnessesr device comprising a body portion seating in the tie with the spike, and fitting the shank of the latter, and a lip on the upper end of WADE GREGORY said body portion, said lip fitting over the i/Vitnesses: base flange of the rail between the same and J. A. GUTHRIE,

J. W. KooN.

the spike head. 

